FAA Gives UPS and uAvionix Green Light for BVLOS Drone Operations

In a recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision, UPS Flight Forward and uAvionix were granted permission to operate drones beyond the operator’s visual line of sight (BVLOS). Originally reported by the FAA, this news marks a significant advancement in drone operations.

Utilizing its Matternet M2 drones, UPS can now carry out small package deliveries. Meanwhile, uAvionix, with its Rapace drone, will test its ‘detect and avoid’ technology using the Vantis Network.

“We are thrilled by this approval from the FAA and know this will play a significant role in the scaling of drone delivery services throughout the United States, said an excited Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet. “We are excited to continue our partnership with UPSFF to grow our services and enable drone delivery at scale. This is another step in our journey to make drone delivery a common part of everyday life.”

Just a little earlier, on August 24, the FAA authorized Phoenix Air Unmanned to use its SwissDrones SVO 50 V2 drones for various aerial tasks, including photography and powerline inspections.

This decision followed the FAA’s call for public input on four BVLOS applications, with another request still under Review. “Data collected from these operations will inform the FAA’s ongoing policy and rulemaking activities,” the FAA stated.

Focused on creating standardized rules for BVLOS operations, the FAA aims to make these activities routine and scalable. This initiative ties in with the FAA’s long-term vision of safely incorporating drones into the National Airspace System.

The FAA’s approach aligns with legislative acts from 2012 and 2016, emphasizing the agency’s collaboration with NASA to devise an Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) plan, further aiding integration endeavors.